Signaling apparatus



(No Model.) O. OLESON & J. D. MORRISON.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

No. 557,421. Patented Mar. 31, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES OLESON AND JOHN D. MORRISON, OF ROSEBURG, OREGON.

SIGNALING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 557,421, dated March31, 1896.

Application filed May 1, 1895. Serial No. 547,864. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHARLES OLESON and JOHN D. MORRISON, both ofRoseburg, in the county of Douglas and State of Oregon, have invented anew and Improved Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is afull,clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to fluid pressure brakes; and its object is toprovide anew and improved signaling apparatus which is comparativelysimple and durable in construction and arranged in connection with anangle-cock, so that in case the latter is closed for any reason whateveran indicator displays the fact in each car, and the whistle in the cabof the locomotive is sounded.

The invention consists, principally, of a signal-pipe charged with aconstant pressure below that of the train-pipe, the said signalpipebeing connected with the angle-cock, so that when the plug in the latteris closed connection is made with the signal-pipe and a pop-valve tosound the whistle in the cab of the locomotive and actuate an indicatorin each car of the train.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details andcombinations of the same, as will be fully described hereinafter, andthen pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a cross-section ofpart of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevat-ionof the angle-cock. Fig. 4 is a crosssection of the signal-pipe valve onthe line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a sectional side elevation of thevalve-plug of the signal-line valve. Fig. 6 is a sectional sideelevation of the indicator, and Fig. 7 is a side elevation of theindicator-sign.

The train-pipe A of each car is provided with an angle-cock B, connectedby the usual hose 0 with the train-pipe of the next adjacent car. Theusual signal-pipeD is arranged on each car, alongside the train-pipe A,and is provided with a valve E and connected by a transverse pipe F withthe angle-cock B, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The valve E is provided inthe main way or passage of its plug E with a spring-valve E adapted toclose either of the ports E and E (See Figs. 4 and 5.) The pipe F isadapted to connect with a port a, formed below the usual passage in theplug B of the angle-cock B, the said port leading to a pop-valve G,supported on the angle-cock B. The pop-valve G is provided with a bodyG, a cap G port-holes G and a valve G pressed to its seat G by a springG.

The signal-pipe D leads to the cab of the locomotive and is providedtherein with a whistle or other alarm device, and an indicator H,located in each car, is connected with the said pipe D. The indicator His provided with a casing H connected at its lower end with thesignal-pipe D, and in this casing is fitted to slide a piston H pressedon by a spring H coiled around the piston rod or stem H The outer end ofthe latter is provided with a pointer H and an indicator-sign H, ofwhich the former indicates on the scale H formed on the board H Thelatter is also provided with openings H and H for the display of thelegends Closed and Open marked in the sign H The pipe D is charged witha fluid under pressure, less than half the pressure usually maintainedin the trainpipe A. For instance, the latter is usually charged withseventy pounds, while that of the pipe D is only twenty-five pounds.

The operation is as follows: After the signal-pipe D. is once charged totwenty-five pounds pressure, the closing of the cock E will not preventa signal being given, as the ports E E (shown in plug in Fig. 5) willthen be in communication with the pipe D, and the air-pressure valve Ehaving a resistance of ten pounds will not allow of its closing inmaking reductions to give signal. While there is ten pounds pressure inthe signalpipe, the valve E will remain closed on the rear end of thetrain, as the pressure at this point will be only on one side of thevalve, the rear hose being open to the atmosphere. In uncoupling thecars, the cock being closed and the hose parted, the valve E will closeinstantly and retain the pressure in the signal-pipe D. In order toclose the valve E on the rear end of the train when the piping is firstbeing charged with pressure, we place a pipe connection and also a cockin any convenient place in the cab of the locomotive, connecting thesignal-pipe with the reservoirpipe. Now the engineer by opening thiscock will charge the piping up, instantly closing the valve E on therear end, and the cock can then be closed and the pressure will feed upin the usual way. The pressure from the signal-pipe D will always beover to the trainline cock, as shown in Fig. 1, by the pipe F, and whilethe train-line cock is open to the train-line the opening over thepop-valve G is closed; but on the cock being turned to cut-out position,or nearly so, the port or passage-way a makes direct connection frompiping F to pop-valve G, raising the valve G oil its seat and allowingair to flow through the port G to the atmosphere, thus-reducing thepressure throughout the signal-line of pipe to twenty pounds, causingthe whistle to sound in the cab of the engine, thus giving notice of thecock being closed. The spring G on the pop-valve G has a resistance oftwenty pounds and will not reduce the pressure below that point, butsaid popvalve will keep reducing at intervals as the pressure feeds upin the piping, thus causing the whistle to sound at intervals until thetrain-line cock is opened. There is no pressure from the signal-line tothe train-line cock on the rear end of the train, as the pipe connectionF is outside of the signal-line cock that is, between the cock and thehose.

The indicator, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, will be used on passenger carsor engines wherever desired, and on freight-trains it will only benecessary to have one on the engine and caboose. It will be screwed intothe signalpipe, and pressure will come under the piston I1 causing it torise and compress the spring 11 The indicator or pointer H will indicatethe pressure on the graduation H and the sign H will come to the openingH on the face of the indicator and will show Closed or Open, indicatingposition of the trainline cook. The top opening H 011 the face of theindicator-board H will only be used in case fifty pounds pressure iscarried instead of twenty-five pounds. The valve and ports in thesignal-line cock can be put in cocks now in use, as can also ourimprovement on the train-line cock, by tapping into the easing on eachside and drilling a passage-way through the plug.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent 1. In combination with a train-pipe, asignal-pipe charged with a constant pressure, a four-way cock in saidsignal-pipe, a springvalve in the main way of the cock-plug and designedto be moved laterally by pressure to close the way opposite to that ofthe pressure, a connection between the signal-pipe and train-pipe, and afour-way cock in the trainpipe, one of the ports thereof being adaptedto register with said connect-ion and with a pop-valve when the plug isturned to close the pipe, substantially as specified.

2. In combination with a train-pipe, a signal-pipe, a four-way cock insaid signal-pipe, a spring-valve in said cock for automatically closingone of said ways at the side opposite,

that receiving pressure, a connection between the train-pipe andsignal-pipe, a four-way cock controlling said connection and trainpipe,and a reduction or pop valve controlled by said four-way cock,substantially as specified.

3. A signal apparatus provided with a signal-pipe charged with aconstant pressure and connected with the angle-cock of a trainpipe, sothat when the plug in the latter is closed, connection is made with thesignalpipe to sound an alarm in the locomotive, and an indicator havingconnection with said pipe and comprising a spring-pressed piston, ascale marked board having openings, a pointer carried by the piston forindicating on the scale the pressure in-the signal-pipe and a signcarried by the piston for indicating when disclosed at the openings inthe scale-board the position of the cock in the train-pipe,substantially as specified.

4. A valve for a pipe for containing a fluid under pressure, comprisinga plug having a main port and lateral ports communicating with the mainport, and a spring-yieldiu g valve wholly within the main port of theplug for closing either of said lateral ports at the side opposite tothat receiving pressure, substantially as specified.

CHARLES OLESON. JOHN D. MORRISON. lVitn esses:

GEORGE CASPER, (l. A. SEHLBREDE.

